Sunday, January 22, 2012

Good-bye Roi Et. Hello Thon Buri in the heart of Bangkok!

Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:42:47 +0700Subject: Thon Buri

Hey Everybody!

So, I'm gone from Roi Et, and I'm in Thon Buri. It's right here in the heart of Bangkok.

But first I will talk a little more about Roi Et. On Tuesday, we had the opportunity to help a member cut down these HUGE bamboo trees. They must have been 50 feet tall and they were really thick around. Elder Wagstaff and I had a great time chopping those down. Then on Wednesday night, I taught my last lesson in Roi Et to Nawa and Meow. It was really sad to say good-bye to them and to everybody else. There were a lot of members at the bus station to send me off which was nice. I'm going to miss them a lot.

We got to Bangkok on Thursday moirning and headed to transfers meeting. President Smith called my name, I stood up and he said, "Bone up on your Lao, you're going to Thon Buri with Elder Inthavong."

So I am in Thon Buri with Elder Inthavong who is from Laos. It's different for sure. Everything. The apartment is small and easy to keep clean. The area, as president told me, is the most congested area in the mission. It's true. It takes us an hour in a taxi to travel what I could do in 15 minutes on a bike in Roi Et. The traffic is awful. There are so many people it's crazy!

One cool thing is that I'm no longer in a branch, I'm in a ward. But it's weird because the ward has about a quarter as many people as the Roi Et branch. That's not really that important. Every area is different, and that's what makes them special and great! The bishop is really nice, and so are the members. They all have really good hearts.

One thing that I have found interesting this week is in the thirteenth article of faith. I have found peace in the portion where it says "...we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things." In life, we face many trials and hardships. They are there for our experience. They are the refiner's fire. But if we have hope, we will endure them with optimism, and with a steadfast faith in Chirst. (read 2 Nephi 31:20). It's one of my favorite scriptures. So is 2 Nephi 32:8-9. "Don't forget to pray."

Sorry this is a little shorter, but I don't have a whole lot. I love you all lots. be safe! You're in my prayers.